How Many Hours You Need for Photography on Your Elopement Day
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How Many Hours of Photography Do I Really Need?
There are so many decisions to make– big and small- concerning your wedding day. One of the first questions I get asked is: How many hours do I really need to book my photographer for on my elopement day? The answer: At least 8 hours, and more likely, 10-12. Couples are oftentimes baffled by this response. 12 hours?! But we are eloping; we are keeping it simple; the whole day ought to fly by in just a few hours!
I get it. Before I had photographed dozens upon dozens of weddings, I would’ve thought the same. But the truth is, regardless of how big or small your celebration, you can easily fill up a whole day– and sometimes even two– with all of the sweet moments that comprise this most important of days.
Not convinced? I think it helps to conceptualize exactly how the whole day (or two) will unfold for you– what you and your sweetheart (and whoever else is with you) will do from the moment you wake to the moment you fall in bed, blissfully happy, that night. You will want the majority of those moments captured on film for posterity’s sake. And you will not want to feel like you have to cram it all into just a few hours. Remember, 8 hours (or 10 or 12) does not mean that I will be arranging you into poses all day. Absolutely not! I will fade into the background and capture the story of your wedding day as it seamlessly unfolds, from sun-up to the happy finale.
A Snapshot of 12 Hours of Elopement Photography
To help you visualize one such day, let me give you the concrete example of a wedding I just photographed.
The adorable R and D eloped on a sublime September weekend in Crested Butte. They rented a luxurious cabin overlooking a copse of brilliantly-hued Aspen trees, where they hosted a small group of family and friends for their wedding weekend.
Because R and D wanted their wedding portraits totally unrushed and relaxed, they decided to complete those the day prior to their ceremony. This allowed for R and D to enjoy a leisurely and easygoing morning together, unfettered by the constraints of a timeline. We were able to drive (and hike) to a few different gorgeous vantage points, and R and D were also able to wear a few different looks for their portraits. After our morning photography session, they were then able to grab a bite to eat and spend the rest of the day relaxing together with their friends and family and getting ready for their dinner out in town. (Total time= 4 hours)
I arrived at R and D’s VRBO around 10:30 on their wedding day, after hair and makeup had been well underway for an hour or so. I took photographs of the bride and groom getting ready, and then I captured the details (rings, flowers, vow books, gifts, etc.). Later, at 12:30, I photographed R and D’s ceremony, which lasted about 30 minutes. Afterwards, there were myriad photographs of the newlyweds, their precious dog Odie, and their lovely friends and family as they enjoyed champagne toasts and reflections. A magnificent red fox suddenly appeared among us at one point, so of course we captured its serendipitous presence as well! (Total time= 4 hours)
After a break, during which R and D and their guests rested up in order to feel rejuvenated for their wedding dinner, I returned. For the remainder of the day, I photographed the: cocktail hour, details (dinner tablescape, place settings, etc.), dinner speeches, first dances and cake cutting… Along with all the fun, spontaneous moments that organically happened during the course of the night (like R and D jubilantly running outside hand-in-hand, into the surprise snowfall). (Total time= 4 hours)
The Bottom Line
You may not be planning for an event exactly like R and D’s, but more than likely, you will want the following moments documented, at the very least: getting ready, details, portraits, ceremony, and the ‘after’, whatever that may be. These alone will comprise at least six hours of photography, if all goes perfectly seamlessly and there is only one location (which is almost never the case for the couples I work with).
At the end of the day, you just have to factor in so many different considerations. First, allot more time than you think you need for each and every stage of the day (from finding parking at a trailhead to locating your warm socks for the hike to picking the right backdrop for a picture to waiting for the clouds to move).I cannot stress this enough. You must expect the unexpected, and plan the necessary time in your day for each unforeseen delay or hiccup. Second, think about travel times and locations. More likely than not, we will be moving from one location to the next, oftentimes on rugged roads, where driving is slow-going, at best (sometimes 5 miles per hour!). A lengthy transition from one locale to another can easily add 1 or 2 hours to your timeline. Third, it goes without saying that the weather is beyond our control, and sometimes we are at its mercy. We may have to hit pause while we wait for cloud cover to dissipate or a rainstorm to blow over in order to get the very best photographs for your big day. In the end, timelines have to be flexible and are frequently ever-shifting as a result.
Ultimately, you want your day– and the story of your wedding– to unfold naturally, seamlessly, and easily. As the person documenting this love story, I do not want you to feel rushed or short-changed in any way whatsoever. You are choosing me for a reason– you have seen the stunning wedding stories I have captured and documented. Those photographs take time. At my core, I am an artist, and my art can not be rushed. I need the time to walk around and absorb the views, considering different angles, distances, lenses, vantage points… It is a process. I want you to relish each sweet moment in a perfect day that unfolds organically, and, most of all, I want you to cherish your memories (and your photographs) forever! For that reason, I strongly encourage an 8 (+) hour session for your elopement (or even more if you are hoping to incorporate things like astrophotography, which is nuanced and demands just the right conditions and therefore even more forethought and planning and time).
Once you are ready to discuss the details, reach out to me and we can craft a timeline that is just right for you!
Ready to Celebrate Your Day Your Way?
Elopement Photographer Andrea Enger (Portrait by Realm Studios)
Find out how I can help make that happen!
If you’re ready to get the ball rolling to secure your photographer, that’s great!
You can do that by filling out the form below, by emailing me directly at andrea@andreaengerphotography.com, or by calling/texting me at (720) 739-0784. I look forward to hearing from you!
If you’re still in the research phase, I hear ya! Here are some more resources that my couples have found helpful. I hope you do, too!